Wahana Visi Indonesia responds to earthquake and tsunami

Wahana Visi Indonesia responds to earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi

Four days after a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Indonesia, millions are growing desperate as they wait for aid.

World Vision has already begun meeting the needs of children and families who have lost everything. An emergency infant feeding station has already helped a number of mothers at the Wahana Visi Indonesia office in Palu.

Emergency hygiene kits – including soap and clean clothes – are being distributed around Palu.

But to scale up the aid efforts, security need to be improved and damaged roads need to be opened.

World Vision staff report scenes of desperation as survivors hunt for food and water, pull what they can from the wreckage of destroyed homes to make temporary shelters, queue for fuel and line up at the airport in a bid to evacuate on the few planes that are able to land at Pula airport.

"As we reach more of the impact areas, some villages are nearly flat. People are still afraid. The roads are blocked and they cannot get supplies. The community is in despair so they are stopping the aid along the route. The route is full of people really in need of help. The aftershocks are continuing," says Margarettha Siregar, Emergency Response Director of Wahana Visi Indonesia.

As a child focused organization, Wahana Visi Indonesia is particularly concerned with the welfare of children. When emergencies occur, children are often most vulnerable to injury, exploitation, abuse and separation from caregivers.

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New Zealanders can donate to World Vision’s Indonesia Earthquake Appeal at https://www.worldvision.org.nz/causes/emergency-relief/indonesia-earthquake-appeal/ or call 0800 800 776

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